Eriogonum niveum Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray

Scientific Name: Eriogonum niveum Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray


Classification: Plantae/ Tracheobionta / Spermatophyta / Magnoliophyta / Magnoliopsida / Caryophyllidae / Polygonales / Polygonaceae / Eriogonum Michx./ Eriogonum niveum Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray

<i>Eriogonum niveum</i> Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray
General Information
Usda SymbolERNID3
GroupDicot
Life CyclePerennial
Growth HabitsForb/herbSubshrub,
Native LocationsERNID3

Plant Guide

Alternate Names

canyon heather

Uses

Erosion control/reclamation/landscape: Snow buckwheat is a very successful pioneer species (Tiedemann, et al 1997). It tolerates extremely droughty soils and is a common occupant of dry, rocky southern exposures. It is an excellent candidate for stabilizing skeletal soils exposed in road cuts, and mine spoils that lack soil development. Snow buckwheat grows to 0.5 m (20 in.) in height in most areas but may be as much as 1m tall and 1m wide on better sites. The canopy, while quite short, can effectively protect the soil from erosive winds. Snow buckwheat is a very useful xeriscaping plant, because it requires very little moisture and does not become weedy. It can be shaped by careful pruning to produce a more formal looking round-full plant. The bloom period is very long and the white flowers take on a pink blush in late fall. Grazing/rangeland/wildlife: Snow buckwheat has limited domestic livestock grazing value. Sheep will utilize the tips of the flower heads and ignore the rest of the plant. (USDA Forest Service Range Plant Handbook). Mule deer in north-central Washington are reported to make heavy use of snow buckwheat in the winter and early spring months (Burrell 1982). Bighorn sheep also make heavy use of snow buckwheat, and it decreases in response to bighorn sheep grazing (Wikeem and Pitt 1991). Small birds and mammals use the canopy for cover. Clarence Kelley USDA NRCS Pullman PMC Several species of bees and butterfies utilize snow buckwheat as a foodstuff, including the endangered Mormon Metalmark butterfly (Apodemia mormo) (Royal British Columbia Museum 1995). Ethnobotany: A tea brewed from the roots of snow buckwheat and a related species, Indian tobacco (E. heracleoides) were used by Native Americans as a diarrhea remedy. Boiled roots and stems were used to treat a variety of ailments including cuts, colds, and blood poisoning (Parish et al. 1996). It has been suggested that the Columbia Basin buckwheats were also used to develop dyes by the Native Americans (Sackschewsky and Downs 2001).

Status

This is a native species. Consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

General: Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae). Snow buckwheat is a deciduous, low growing, evergreen halfshrub. The crown gives rise to numerous short-woody stems. Leaves attached to the main stems are short and generally oblong. The bottoms of the leaves are gray and very tomentose while the tops are only slightly hairy. The flowering stems are tomentose and as much as 200mm in length. Leaves on the flowering stems are short and narrow. The flower heads may be as long as 200mm and generally ascending. The flowers are white or light pink and turn brown at seed maturity in the fall. The seeds are small and shaped like urns. There are approximately 943,000 seeds/kg (427,000 seeds/pound).

Distribution

Hitchcock et al. (1964) described the distribution of snow buckwheat as the east slope of the Cascade Mountains from British Columbia, south to central Oregon, east to west-central Idaho. For current distribution of this species and its relatives, consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Adaptation

Cold Hardiness Zone: 5a-7a. Mean Annual Precipitation: 150-460mm (6-18 in.) Elevation: 150-1500m (500-4900 ft.) MLRA: 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24, and 25 Soil: Well-drained sands to clays Snow buckwheat is common in big sage (Artemisia tridentata), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), and open Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) areas. It also occurs in the canyon grasslands of the Snake and Columbia River systems. It is primarily found in full sun but will grow in partial shade such as open Ponderosa pine hillsides. Snow buckwheat is common on steep slopes and rocky scabland soils that support little competing vegetation. Its taproot enables it to acquire moisture percolating through the rock cracks. It occurs much less frequently on deep, moist soils. Species often associated with snow buckwheat include the following: big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata - probably wyomingensis, vasciana, and tridentata subspecies), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), sand dropseed (Sporobolus airoides), Snake River wheatgrass (Elymus wawawaiensis), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), and needle-and-thread (Nassella comata).

Establishment

Seeding: Snow buckwheat should be seeded in late fall (Tiedemann and Driver 1983), Standard reclamation drills and broadcast seeders are capable of handling snow buckwheat seed, however, ensure the seed is kept shallow (max, 6mm deep), Germination in the wild occurs during cool-wet conditions thus allowing the seedlings to develop while moisture is readily available and evaporative rates are low, Transplanting: Rooted transplants are easily outplanted, The soil should be at least 75% of field capacity when planted, Once fully established, snow buckwheat is long-lived and very persistent, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Eriogonum niveum Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray.,

Management

Snow buckwheat is a low maintenance plant once established. Cheatgrass and other winter annuals should be controlled the first year to allow good establishment. Observations have shown that snow buckwheat withstands severe defoliation if the woody stems and crowns are not damaged. Digging up plants is not advised because it is difficult to extract a large enough portion of the root to support the plant. Also, removing plants in the wild severely disturbs the site and leaves it especially prone to weed invasion. Its tolerance to fire is unknown, however, most Eriogonum species which remain green year round are severely damaged by fire.

Environmental Concerns

Concerns

Concerns

Snow buckwheat is long-lived, spreading via seed in the wild. It is not considered to be a "weedy" or invasive species, but can spread into adjoining vegetative communities under ideal climatic and environmental conditions.

Propagation

Snow buckwheat seed should be grown in areas where it is native or areas that have long growing seasons. Weeds can be controlled by between-row cultivation. No herbicides are labeled for snow buckwheat seed fields. Seed is fully ripe when the flowers turn brown. Shattering can be severe at full maturity. Mechanical harvest is possible providing that the cutting bar is set high enough to not damage the crown. Observations have indicated that cutting back the woody stems reduces plant life and reduces seed production the following year. Seed shelf life can be as short at 12 months if not properly stored. Seed is best stored in cool-dry conditions. Plants are easy to produce for out-planting. Seed should be planted in mid-winter and allow for at least 10 weeks growth before hardening. Avoid potting media that does not drain well, and do not over-water. Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin) 'Umatilla' snow buckwheat was selected by the Pullman Plant Materials Center and released in 1991. It was developed from a native collection made in Umatilla County, Oregon. It is primarily recommended for use in rangeland restoration plantings, upland wildlife habitat improvement plantings in semi-arid environments, and soil stabilization plantings on sites that will not support dense populations of conventional conservation species. It has performed very well on mine spoils in central Washington (Zamora and Leier 1993). It is also well suited for xeriscape plantings, particularly where a native halfshrub is desired. Limited quantities of Foundation seed are available to growers from the Pullman Plant Materials Center.

References

Burrell, G.C. 1982. Winter diets of mule deer in relation to bitterbrush abundance. J. Range Manage. 36:508-510. Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist, M. Ownbey, and J.W. Thompson 1964. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington. Parish, R., Coupe, R. and D. Lloyd 1996. Plants of southern interior British Columbia. Lone Pine Press, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Royal British Columbia Museum 1995. >http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca/end_species/species/mmetalm.html< Sackschewsky, M.R. and J.L. Downs 2001. Vascular plants of the Handford site. U.S. Dept. of Energy, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Rep. 13688. Richland, Washington. Tiedemann, A.R. and C.H. Driver. 1983. Snow eriogonum; a native halfshrub to regetate winter game ranges. Reclam and Reveg Res. 2:31-39. Tiedemann, A.R., S.M. Lambert, J.R. Carlson, C.J. Perry, N.L. Shaw, B.L. Welch, and C.H. Driver 1997. ‘Umatilla’ snow buckwheat for rangeland restoration in the interior Pacific Northwest. Rangelands. 19:22-25. Wikeem, B.M. and M.D. Pitt 1991. Grazing effects and range trend assessment on California bighorn sheep range. J. Range Manage. 44:466-470. USDA, Forest Service 1937. Range Plant Handbook. USDA NRCS 2003. The PLANTS database. Version: 030106. <http://plants.usda.gov>. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Zamora, B.A. and J.W. Leier 1993. The potential of snowy buckwheat (Eriogonum niveum) for revegetation of xeric mine spoil sites in the Pacific Northwest. IN: Abstracts 8th Wildland Shrub Symp. Arid Land Restoration, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Cold Stratification RequiredYes
Hedge ToleranceNone
Hedge ToleranceNone
Frost Free Days, Minimum120
Frost Free Days, Minimum120
Fire ToleranceLow
Fire ToleranceLow
Fertility RequirementLow
Fertility RequirementLow
Drought ToleranceHigh
Drought ToleranceHigh
Cold Stratification RequiredYes
Temperature, Minimum (°F)-23
CaCO3 ToleranceHigh
CaCO3 ToleranceHigh
Anaerobic ToleranceNone
Anaerobic ToleranceLow
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsNo
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsNo
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Moisture UseLow
Temperature, Minimum (°F)-23
Shade ToleranceIntolerant
Shade ToleranceIntermediate
Salinity ToleranceNone
Salinity ToleranceNone
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)12
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)12
Precipitation, Minimum6
Precipitation, Minimum6
Precipitation, Maximum18
Precipitation, Maximum18
Planting Density per Acre, Minim2700
Planting Density per Acre, Minim1200
Planting Density per Acre, Maxim7000
Planting Density per Acre, Maxim2700
pH, Minimum6.5
pH, Minimum6.5
pH, Maximum8.0
pH, Maximum8.0
Moisture UseLow


Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth PeriodSpring, Summer, Fall
ToxicityNone
ToxicityNone
Shape and OrientationDecumbent
Fire ResistantNo
Foliage TextureMedium
Foliage TextureMedium
Foliage Porosity WinterDense
Foliage Porosity WinterDense
Foliage Porosity SummerDense
Foliage Porosity SummerDense
Foliage ColorGreen
Foliage ColorGreen
Flower ConspicuousYes
Flower ConspicuousYes
Flower ColorWhite
Flower ColorWhite
Resprout AbilityYes
Fire ResistantNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
Coppice PotentialNo
Coppice PotentialNo
C:N RatioHigh
C:N RatioHigh
BloatNone
BloatNone
Active Growth PeriodSpring, Summer, Fall
Shape and OrientationDecumbent
Fruit/Seed ColorBrown
Resprout AbilityYes
Nitrogen FixationNone
Nitrogen FixationNone
Low Growing GrassNo
Low Growing GrassNo
LifespanLong
LifespanLong
Leaf RetentionNo
Leaf RetentionNo
Known AllelopathNo
Known AllelopathNo
Height, Mature (feet)1.5
Height, Mature (feet)2.0
Fruit/Seed ColorBrown
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousNo
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousNo
Growth FormColonizing
Growth FormColonizing
Growth RateSlow
Growth RateSlow
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (fee1
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (fee2


Reproduction

Propagated by CuttingsNo
Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SprigsNo
Propagated by SprigsNo
Propagated by TubersNo
Propagated by TubersNo
Seed per Pound300000
Fruit/Seed Period EndFall
Seed per Pound315000
Seed Spread RateModerate
Seed Spread RateSlow
Seedling VigorMedium
Seedling VigorMedium
Small GrainNo
Small GrainNo
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Propagated by CormNo
Propagated by CuttingsNo
Bloom PeriodEarly Summer
Bloom PeriodLate Summer
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Fruit/Seed AbundanceLow
Fruit/Seed AbundanceMedium
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSummer
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSummer
Fruit/Seed Period EndFall
Fruit/Seed PersistenceYes
Propagated by Bare RootYes
Propagated by Bare RootYes
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by ContainerYes
Propagated by ContainerYes
Propagated by CormNo
Fruit/Seed PersistenceNo


Suitability/Use

Palatable Browse AnimalHigh
Palatable Graze AnimalLow
Palatable Graze AnimalLow
Palatable HumanNo
Palatable HumanNo
Post ProductNo
Post ProductNo
Protein PotentialLow
Protein PotentialLow
Pulpwood ProductNo
Pulpwood ProductNo
Veneer ProductNo
Veneer ProductNo
Palatable Browse AnimalHigh
Nursery Stock ProductYes
Nursery Stock ProductYes
Naval Store ProductNo
Naval Store ProductNo
Lumber ProductNo
Lumber ProductNo
Fodder ProductNo
Fodder ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo

<i>Eriogonum niveum</i> Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray

<i>Eriogonum niveum</i> Douglas ex Benth. var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray

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